Kohl, Hannelore (1933–2001)

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Kohl, Hannelore (1933–2001)

German first lady. Born Mar 7, 1933, in Berlin, Germany; grew up in Leipzig; committed suicide, July 5, 2001, in Ludwigshafen, Germany; dau. of an engineer from Rhineland-Palatinate; m. Helmut Kohl (chancellor of Germany, 1982–98), 1960; children: 2 sons.

Was often by husband's side during his long political career, but worked to keep herself and sons out of the spotlight; led a charity for helping accident victims, the Hannelore Kohl Foundation; having suffered from a painful sunlight allergy for 7 years, only leaving the house in darkness, took her own life when it grew worse.